Get Growing Blog
Connecting people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants.
Most Recent
August 16, 2023
Continuing Care for the Cornelian Cherry
By Finley Dovicsak, Assistant Climbing Arborist
As part of an ongoing work effort from the arborist teams, the crabapple collection has slowly come back to life as a collection. A joyous moment for any arborist is... more
August 11, 2023
It’s Poppin’: August 11th
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
The beginning of school is near- how is that possible? We’ve reached the summer peak! Our gardens that attract pollinators across our campuses are THE places to be as summer... more
August 11, 2023
Fulbright Scholar Dr. Shweta Basnett to speak on Rhododendron pollinators
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Shweta Basnett will hold lecture to highlight global diversity of Rhododendron pollinators and sensitivity to climate change. Dr. Shweta Basnett, Fulbright Scholar, University of Maryland, will... more
August 9, 2023
Hügelkultur in the Core Natural Areas Part 2
By Rob Maganja, Horticulturalist
If you’ve spent any time wandering the Arboretum in the last four months, you’ve likely seen piles of sticks and logs in the Core Natural Areas site in between the... more
August 8, 2023
A Seed Station for Forest Restoration
By Anna Funk, Science Communications Specialist
Holden’s new seed bank project forms the core of new climate-fighting reforestation efforts across the region. In December, a crane dropped a fully loaded shipping container into the Holden Arboretum.... more
August 4, 2023
16 Thriving Summer Plants at the Cleveland Botanical Garden
By David Lardakis, Marketing Specialist
Today, I strolled through just a fraction of our outdoor gardens, and came across more blooms, stunning greenery, and pollinators than I could keep track of. For your sake, I... more
August 1, 2023
Rescuing Edible and Medicinal Plants
By Aisha Zungu, Woodland Community Forestry Intern
Summer is a flowering and fruiting time when many of the bushes and shrubs come to life with their colors and fruits. Summer is also a time of change for... more
July 31, 2023
Late Summer Maintenance to Keep Your Garden Flourishing
By Rob Dzurec, Horticulturalist
As the scorching days of summer gradually give way to the cooler nights of late summer, gardeners find themselves amidst a pivotal period for garden maintenance. Late summer is a... more
July 28, 2023
It’s Poppin’: July 28th
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
At the Garden this week, Asia Armour’s “Art in Bloom” display continues to look spectacular. As it grows, this palette of Coleus and Geranium just keeps looking better. On a... more
July 28, 2023
Analyzing Wildflower Phenology Across Botanical Gardens
By Chelsea Miller, PhD, Ecologist
In addition to being beautiful public greenspaces, botanical gardens and arboreta house valuable biological information. These living museums present a unique opportunity for scientists in the form of ready-made experimental... more
July 26, 2023
Holden Researcher Will Study How Microbes Alter How Plants Respond to Climate Change with Prestigious Award from the NSF
By Anna Funk, Science Communications Specialist
There’s an entire universe of microscopic life, living in us, on us, and all around us, too small for the naked eye to see. The more researchers learn about these... more
July 25, 2023
Bird Banding at the Holden Arboretum
By Mike Watson, Conservation Biologist
Biologists use many tools to study birds and their behavior – binoculars, cameras, automatic recorders – but one of the simplest tools is the leg band. Leg bands have been... more
July 18, 2023
Butterfly Garden Bed Renovation
By Lori Gogolin, Horticulturist
Pollinator gardening has become a popular hobby for many people. Where pollinator gardens are both beautiful and beneficial it doesn’t take long for things to get out of control. Plants... more
July 17, 2023
It’s Poppin: July 17th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
The dog days of summer feel like they’re here. The prairies are blazin’, our pollinators buzzin’ and our lilies are burstin’! It will only be eight short weeks before the... more
July 7, 2023
It’s Poppin’: July 7th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
We had plenty of rain this week interspersed with high humidity- you might not think that type of weather makes for good flower viewing, but when it’s cloudy and wet,... more
June 30, 2023
It’s Poppin’: June 30th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Summer is here, and with it brings so many blooms across our gardens. Plants that take advantage of the summer sun and are pollinated by bees and butterflies are dominating... more
June 28, 2023
A Trip to Costa Rica! (At the Cleveland Botanical Garden)
By Jacob Conrad, Lead Climbing Arborist
The Collections team recently made their annual journey to the Costa Rica glasshouse at the botanical gardens to perform some much-needed pruning work. This biome requires a hard pruning session... more
June 27, 2023
Nature Photography Day
By Dawn Gerlica, Senior Horticulturist
In 2006, The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) designated June 15 as Nature Photography Day – a day to enjoy capturing the beauty of nature through photography and to... more
June 23, 2023
It’s Poppin’: June 23rd
By Tom Arbour, M.En., Curator of Living Collections
Our prairie and meadow flowers are really getting going at both campuses. Enjoy a whole new suite of blooms as summer has officially arrived! Holden Arboretum Three interesting and new... more
June 20, 2023
Holden Forests & Gardens Receives the 2023 Program Excellence Award from The American Public Gardens Association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Holden Forests & Gardens Receives the Program Excellence Award from the American Public Gardens Association Working Woods Learning Forest™ Teaches Public and Private Landowners How to Care... more
June 15, 2023
June is Pollinator Month: Here’s why we need pollinators!
Why do we care about pollinators? Pollinators are important creatures in natural ecosystems and our daily life because they provide vital services to wild plants and our crops. Pollinators carry and... more
June 12, 2023
Collections Team Update!
By Ralph Protano, Director of Land and Collections Management
The Collections Team has been starting a new chapter with three new hires in the last two months. This includes our new Ground Arborist (Jamie Christie), a new Assistant Climbing Arborist... more
June 12, 2023
Why Pine Straw Mulch?
By MaryAnn Thesing, Horticulturist
If you’ve been to Holden Arboretum lately you may have noticed a change in our mulch selection as seen in the Butterfly Garden and West Layer Rhododendron Garden. Most gardeners... more
June 9, 2023
It’s Poppin: June 9th
By Thomas Arbour, Curator of Living Collections
Isn’t it amazing how each week there is something new blooming in our gardens? Our horticulturists have carefully chosen plants to ensure a constant rotation of blooms will be poppin’... more
June 6, 2023
Effects of Climate Warming on Forest Plants
Spring forest phenology update: community scientists help Holden researchers study the effects of climate warming on forest plants. Each year at the Holden Arboretum, volunteers team up with members of... more
People for Trees™
Make a difference in
your own backyard.
Plant and care for a tree beginning with making a pledge. We will support each pledge with easy-to-follow instructional toolkits, guidance on how to select the most appropriate tree and where to purchase it, free virtual classes and other ongoing support.
Make a pledgeWe’re proud to work with these distinguished organizations.
